What he thought was a routine deer hunting trip early Sunday morning, turned out to be anything but for Robert Bryan, of Tampico.
"I come up on the car and it's sitting in the middle of the road with flames coming out from under the hood,” said Bryan.
Jacque McCallister, 25, of Morrison was sitting in her wrecked car on the side of the road.
Bryan soon realized he had to act fast and sprung out of his car and into action.
"Just pulled on her like that and she come free,” he said. “She slid out and I drug her away."
The Whiteside County Sherrif's Office says something caused Jackie to careen off the road and into a tree.
Her car then caught fire along the rural road in Morrison.
"Reporter: You're putting yourself in danger. What overtook that fear? Robert: Knowing that it was on fire and there was probably somebody in there and to get them out."
Many, including Bryan's girlfriend, are calling him a hero.
"I really care for him and I'm glad he did what he did," said Pat Reddell.
It's a label he doesn't quite understand.
"If I was in there, I'd want somebody to get me out. You gotta do what you gotta do to save a human life."
Police are still investigating the cause of the crash.
The sherrif’s office plans to meet with Robert and thank him personally for what he did.
As for McCallister, the hospital hasn't given an update on her condition.